Obituary of Ellen Goldman

Ellen Eason Covington Goldman, 89, died September 13, 2010. She was born April 11, 1921 in Kosciusko, MS. Her father was the farm County Agent there at her time of birth. His name was Van Vernon Eason and he was born and reared in Desoto County, MS, and owned farm land there all of his life. The mother of Ellen Eason Covington Goldman was Nelle Clayton Vaughn Eason. In 1929 Van Vernon Eason had an opportunity to buy the Standard Oil Agency in Marks, MS, and did so. Highway 6 from Batesville to Clarksdale was going to be made into a good road by the State of Mississippi. He kept the oil agency until the highway was completed. He sold the agency and the service stations he owned and wanted to return to Desoto County, but his three children, the deceased, and her brothers, Gene Bowen Eason and V.V. Eason, Jr. did not want to change schools and friends again so the family remained in Marks.

After finishing high school in Marks, Ellen Eason attended college at MSCW in Columbus, MS and graduated in 1940. Upon graduation, she reported immediately to the Federal Land Bank in New Orleans to work and to be trained to some work that only men had done, but because a war was beginning to take all of the young men the decision was made to train women.

In 1941 she married Captain John W. Covington of Marks. He had become a U.S. Army air pilot and he was killed during a cross-country flight when the plane in which he was travelling on army business crashed in Louisiana.

After the death of her husband Ellen Eason Covington accepted a job at the National Archive in Washington as an editorial assistant for the publications of the Federal Register. She had taken the examinations for that job while still a senior at MSCW. It was given in the post office at Columbus, MS by a man sent there to give her the examination. After several years in Washington at the Archives she returned to Marks to be with her family and met and married Dr. James O. Goldman, a dentist who practiced in Marks.

They have one son, Dr. James O. Goldman, Jr. He is retired and living in Marks. Mrs. Goldman also has four grandchildren.

Ellen Eason Goldman obtained an MA in English and then a Law Degree at the University of Mississippi and practiced law in Marks, MS for 25 years. She sat on the State of Mississippi Bar Admissions Board for five years as the Vice-Chairman. Mrs. Goldman was also the first woman to be appointed by the Governor of Mississippi to be a Circuit Court Judge in the State of Mississippi and she served two terms.

There will be a private family service at the graveside, and in lieu of flowers donations may be made to University of Mississippi Foundation, Ellen Eason Goldman Scholarship of Law Fund, P.O. Box 249, University, MS. 38677.